Golf legend Rory McIlroy is back with a bang, setting his sights on yet another prestigious title. But can he secure his seventh Race to Dubai crown?
McIlroy, a Northern Irish golfing icon, is poised to conclude his DP World Tour season in the desert, teeing off at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship this week. With a seventh Harry Vardon Trophy, he would inch closer to Colin Montgomerie's record of eight, leaving just one between them on the all-time leaderboard.
This season has been remarkable for McIlroy, having achieved the career Grand Slam at the Masters and securing victory at the Amgen Irish Open. He now leads the order of merit with only two Rolex Series events left, though England's rising star Marco Penge is hot on his heels after a breakout season with three wins.
The UAE tournaments feature three Irish players, including McIlroy, Tom McKibbin, fresh from his Asian Tour win at the Link Hong Kong Open, and Shane Lowry, who gained entry as a member of Europe's Ryder Cup-winning squad.
Eight members of Luke Donald's victorious Ryder Cup team are participating in these final two tournaments of the season: McIlroy, Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Ludvig Åberg, Matt Fitzpatrick, Rasmus Højgaard, and Robert MacIntyre.
McIlroy has set himself ambitious career goals, including surpassing Montgomerie's eight Order of Merits and Nick Faldo's six Major title wins to become the leading European golfer. He currently boasts five Majors to his name.
The Order of Merit title is within McIlroy's grasp this season. Reflecting on his sixth title last year, he said, "I might as well aim for eight or nine... Getting to six and three in a row, and focusing on The Race to Dubai and DP World Tour, could mean achieving something no one else has." He added, "I've got about a decade left in my career, but who knows what golf will look like in a few years. As long as The Race to Dubai continues, I'll be gunning for it."
McIlroy's decision to adjust his playing schedule has paid off, as evidenced by his wins on the PGA Tour (Pebble Beach, The Players, and the Masters) and the DP World Tour (Irish Open), as well as his Ryder Cup success. He holds a substantial 441-point lead over Penge in the DP World Tour rankings, with 4,132 points to Penge's 3,691.
The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship offers 9,000 Race to Dubai ranking points, with 1,500 going to the winner, while the DP World Tour Championship boasts 12,000 points, awarding 2,000 to the champion. McIlroy still needs to secure his position, as points are distributed based on finishing places.
And here's a twist: The Ladies European Tour also has two tournaments left, with this week's Aramco China Championship featuring an individual and team competition. Irish players Lauren Walsh and Anna Foster are among the limited field in China and are guaranteed spots in the Andalucia finale.
So, will McIlroy seal the deal in Dubai? Will he surpass Montgomerie's record? And what's your take on the Ladies European Tour's exciting finish?
